In a strong and unexpected move, top personalities of Bollywood, including Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan have joined hands to sue the television news channels Republic TV and Times Now, citing defamation during their coverage of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.

Reportedly, a total of 38 industry bodies and production houses have together filed a suit in the Delhi High Court yesterday for the channels and four commentators for usage of defamatory words and phrases like "dirt”, “filth”, “scum”, “it is Bollywood where the dirt needs to be cleaned”, “dirtiest industry in the country”, “cocaine and LSD drenched Bollywood" etc.

The law suit filed by law firm DSK Legal reads “The livelihood of persons associated with Bollywood is being severely impacted by the smear campaign being run by the defendants. This is in addition to the ongoing pandemic which has resulted in extreme revenues and work opportunity loss. The privacy of the members of Bollywood is being invaded, and their reputations are being irreparably damaged by painting the entire Bollywood as criminals, seeped in drug culture, and making being part of Bollywood as synonymous with criminal acts in the public imagination.”